Automatic boiler-feeder.



No. 775,682. PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904. N. F. ROADHOUSE.

AUTOMATIC BOILER FEEDER..

APPLIOATION FILED man. 1903.

No MODEL'. z sHBETs-sHBBT 1.

Y@ MMX@ PATENTBD NOV. 22, 1904.

' N. E. ROADHOUSE. AUTOMATIC BUILER FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED DECL?. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

lunutnr im m UNITED STATES Patented November 22, 1904.

VPATENT Trice.

NORMAN F. ROADHOUSE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MCGREGORAUTOMATIC BOILER FEED COMPANY, OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION.

AUTOMATIC BGILER-FEEDEFK..v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,682, dated November22, 1904.

Application filed December '7, 1903. Serial No. 184,109. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN F. RoADHoUsE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticBoiler-Feeders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an automatic boilerfeeder; and it consists inthe construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth,land pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and eflicient means forcontrolling the steam-pump which feeds the water into the boiler, so asto maintain the water practically at a uniform level, the arrangementbeing such as to cause the device to operate automatically through aslight variation of the water-level, starting the pump when the waterfalls to a predetermined point and stopping the pump when the waterrises to a predetermined level.

The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general view inperspective, showing the application of my invention to a steam-boiler,the connection of the steam and water pipes being made with thewater-column thereof. Fig. 2 is aplan view, partly in section.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the ordinarysteam-boiler provided with the Water-column 2. Connected with thewater-column at the point where the middle gage-cock is ordinarilyattached is apipe 3, and also connected with said column at the pointwhere the lower gage-cock is ordinarily attached is a pipe 4. lMountedupon one end of a bracket 5, which may be attached to thesocket-coupling 6, into which leads the pipe 4.

Upon the opposite end of said bracket is a socket-coupling 7, into whichleads the pipe 3.

Interposed between the socket-couplings 6 and 7 is a fitting 8, whoseends extend into the sockets of said couplings and are supported in theannular bearings 9. (See Fig. 2.) Each of said couplings is providedwith an exterior thread 10, upon which is adapted to screw a gland 11,and within the socket of said coupling around the fitting 8 is an.annular follower 12, which as the gland is screwed into place is adaptedto compress the packing 13 between its inner edge and the bearing 9,thereby making a steam-tight joint around the fitting 10, but permittingsaid fitting to rotate or oscillate in its bearings concentric with itsaxis. Extending longitudinally of the fitting 8 in opposite directionsare the channels 14 and 15, which are separated at the longitudinalcenter of said fitting by the dividing-partition 16. Communicating withthe inner end of channel 14 is a pipe 17, which in turn communicateswith the bottom of the globular tank or vessel 18. Communicating withthe inner end of channel 15 Yis a pipe 19, which in turn communicateswith the top of said tank. Formed upon the fitting 8 near itslongitudinal center is a boss 20, having a threaded bore in which isscrewed an arm 21, carrying a weight 22, made adjustable on said arm bymeans of the set-screw 23. The arm 21 extends from the fitting 8 in adirection opposite to the pipes 17 and 19, whereby the weight issuspended upon the opposite side of the fitting to that occupied by thetank 18. The specific gravity of the weight 22 is sufficient to overcomethat of the tank 18 when said tank is empty.

Mounted upon the pipe 17 is a collar 24,. having attached thereto adepending ring 25,

through which freely passes the outer end of` y steam-pump 31, (shown inFig. 1,) by means of which the feed-water is pumped into the boiler, aswill be well understood.

The pipe 3 communicates with the watercolumn at about the normalwater-level, and the pipe 41 communicates with the water-column at apoint always below the water-level, so that in the normal condition of'the apparatus the tank 18 is filled with water, which renders itsufliciently heavy to overcome the weight 22 and maintain vthe parts inthe position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the valve 29 is closed and thefeed-pump 31 is not in operation. Should the water-level in the boilerfall to a point below the end of the pipe 31, the steam will enter saidpipe and tank, causing the water by gravity to pass out of the tank 18through the pipe 11, when the weight 22 will overbalance said tank,causing the tting 8 to turn in its bearings and actuating the lever 26to open the valve in the steam-pipe 30, thereby starting the pump 31,through the operation of which the water in the boiler is replenisheduntil its normal level is restored and it again covers the end of thepipe 3, when the pressure of the steam will force the water through saidpipe and again iill the tank 18, causing it to descend and operate thelever 26 to close the valve 29, thereby stopping the pump and cuttingoff a further supply of water to the boiler until the water-leveltherein again falls below the end of the pipe 3, when the operation justdescribed will be repeated.

To prevent an excessive jar when the tank 18 descends from its raisedposition, there is provided a suitable support 32, upon which is mounteda buier-spring 33, whose free end extends into the path of the ring 25,through which the lever 26 extends, and cushions the descent of thelever and tank, so as to prevent undue jar and vibration. A set-screw 34is passed through the part 32 to support said spring when undulydepressed by the descent of the tank.

Crossing the socket-couplings 6 and 7 are the transverse pins 35,against which the opposite ends of the fitting 3 are adapted to butt tohold said fitting in place and prevent it from sliding too far intoeither of said couplings. These pins, while serving to maintain thefitting in place, do not obstruct to any appreciable extent the iow ofwater through said itting.

To provide for cleaning out the tank 18, so as to relieve it fromaccumulated sediment, a blow-off cock 36 is employed, which is connectedby a T-coupling with the pipe 17 and the tank 18.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic boiler-feeder, the combination with the water-columnof a boiler, of the pipes communicating with said water-column, one pipebeing connected thereto through the middle gage-cock opening at thenormal water-level of the boiler and the other pipe being connectedthereto through the lower gage-cock opening below said water-level, arotary tting connected to said pipes at its opposite ends by rotaryjoints interposed between said pipes and the ends of said itting,l

a weighted arm projecting from said fitting between said rotary joints,a tank upon the opposite side of said rotary fitting in opposed relationto said weighted arm, said tank being supported by two pipes one ofwhich communicates with the bottom thereof and leads to said fitting,wherein is a channel communicating through the rotary joint with one ofsaid first-mentioned pipes, the other of said supporting-pipescommunicating with the top of said tank and leading to said fitting,wherein it communicates with a channel leading to the other of saidfirst-mentioned pipes, a steampump for feeding' water to the boiler, acontrolling-valve `for said pump, a lever connected with said valve foroperating it, the end of said lever having a movable connection with thepipe leading to the bottom of said tank.

2. In an automatic boiler-feeder, the combination withrthe boiler, thesteam-pump, the steam-pipe leading thereto having a valve therein, thepipes communicating with the boiler, one at the normal water-level andthe other at a point below said level, an integral rotary fitting havingindependent apertures extending therein from opposite ends, rotaryjoints connecting the opposite ends of said fitting with the terminalsoi" said pipes, an arm extending laterally from said iitting centrallybetween said rotary joints having an adjustable weight thereon, a tankupon the opposite side of said fitting in opposed relation to saidweighted arm, a pipe leading from the bottom of said tank andcommunicating with the channel in said iitting, vwhich in turncommunicates with the pipe leading to the boiler below the water-level,a pipe leading from the top of said tank and communicating with the pipeleading to the boiler at the normal water-level, a lever attached to thevalve for controlling the steam-supply to the pump, said lever beingconnected to one of said movable members,

3. In an automatic boiler-feeder, the combination of a rotary fitting'having two independent channels therein, a rotary coupling through whichone channel communicates with the boiler at the normal boiler-level, arotary coupling through which the other channel communicates with theboiler below said level, a weighted arm projecting laterally from saidiitting between said rotary couplings, a pipe extending horizontallyfrom the opposite side IOO of said fitting, a vessel supported by andcomsaid tank and leading to the channel in the fitting that communicateswith the boiler at the normal Water-level, a steam-pump for feedingWater to the boiler, a valve in the steam-pipe leading to said pump, andmeans connected with one of said movable members for operating saidvalve.

e n testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

NORMAN F. ROADHOUSE.

VVtnesses:

E. S. WHEELER, l I. Gr. HOWLETT.

